Lost Colony DNA

Genotyping could answer a centuries-old mystery about a vanished group of British settlers.

By Kerry Grens | January 1, 2012

Anne Poole (left), Research Director for the Lost Colony Research Group, and Roberta Estes (right) sifting through the dirt for artifacts. Roberta Estes

Anne Poole (left), Research Director for the Lost Colony Research Group, and Roberta Estes (right) sifting through the dirt for artifacts.ROBERTA ESTES

The legend of the Lost Colony of Roanoke has haunted American history for centuries. In July 1587, a British colonist named John White accompanied 117 people to settle a small island sheltered within the barrier islands of what would become North Carolina’s Outer Banks. When conditions proved harsher than anticipated, White agreed to sail back to Britain to shore up the settlement’s supplies—a trip that should have lasted a few months.

When White belatedly returned in 1590, the colonists had vanished—more than 100 men, women, and young children, their shelters and belongings, all gone. According to White’s writings, the only trace they left behind was a structure of tree trunks, with a single word carved into one post: CROATOAN.

The creepiness of the Lost Colonists’ disappearance didn’t discourage future American settlement. Nor has the lack of clues about their fate discouraged professional and amateur historians from trying to figure out what happened to them.

Archaeological digs, weather records, historical writings, genealogy—none have fully answered the question of what happened during White’s absence. But Roberta Estes, who owns DNAeXplain, a company that interprets the results of genetic heritage tests, is looking to DNA for help. Her hypothesis is that the Lost Colonists survived, and that evidence of their salvation is tucked away in the mitochondrial or Y chromosomal DNA of living descendents.

“They were stranded,” Estes says of the settlers. “They knew they couldn’t survive there on the island.” The colonists’ solution, in her estimation, was to go native.

“Croatoan,” Estes explains, was a message to White indicating that the colonists had gone to live with the Croatan Indians who lived on nearby Hatteras Island. Estes’s volunteer organization, the Lost Colony Research Group, is recruiting people from the area to submit DNA samples and family histories to test her theory.

Studying patterns of short tandem repeats (STRs) on the Y chromosomes of living men can determine whether they are likely to share a common ancestor that was a member of the Lost Colony. For example, Estes can compare the STR profile of a man whose family history suggests that his ancestors lived on Hatteras Island in the 17th century against genetic databases to see if he’s related to anyone with a Lost Colonist surname, such as Dare, Hewet, or Rufoote.

Additionally, it’s possible to scan that man’s mitochondrial or Y chromosomal DNA for evidence of Native American heritage, creating a clearer picture of what became of the vanished colonists. “It is true that with Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA you can assign them unequivocally to different ethnic groups,” says Ugo Perego, a senior researcher at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. But, he adds, it would be difficult to tell exactly when the European ancestry was introduced.

Estes has amassed early land-grant records detailing who lived in the Outer Banks area a few centuries ago. Some of the putative Native Americans living there are thought to have adopted the last names of their European neighbors, she says. If Estes can show that the descendents of these Native American families have DNA matching families with Lost Colony surnames, that would suggest that the colonists mixed with the Croatan Indians.

“It’s a romantic idea,” says Charles Ewen, an East Carolina University anthropology professor who is writing a book about the Lost Colony. Ewen, who’s also working with Estes on an archaeological dig in the Outer Banks, offers other possibilities for the Colony’s fate that are far less rosy. The settlers battled a severe drought while White was journeying back to England that could have made trying conditions worse; Native Americans or Spanish arrivals could have killed the settlers; or the colonists could have tried to sail back to Britain in White’s wake and perished.

Ewen says there are some historical examples of settlers assimilating into native groups, but none in which an entire colony was adopted. “I won’t rule it out, but the whole group forming new tribal identities? I don’t buy it.”

Estes’s group is commencing a new archaeological dig this year to look for Lost Colony artifacts. Previous digs on Hatteras Island have yielded British and Native American items in the same stratum of soil, thought to predate English homesteads from the 1700s, indicating that the groups commingled, she says.

Ewen says he hopes the dig can also help answer questions about the vanished Native Americans who once lived on the Outer Banks. “We don’t know what happened to them.” Like that of the Lost Colonists, the fate of the Croatan Indians is also buried in history.

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Fascinating article! I am thrilled to be in a DNA group (the Cumberland Gap Project) with Roberta Estes and many others, so I can find out about our American history and find some of my relatives in particular. The National Geographic Genographic Project asked me to donate my DNA's full genomic sequence, and I was reluctant to because I was giving away so much and was promised absolutely nothing. "An attempt" would be made to inform me as to the results of their research. No. Not good enough. I've lived in the same house for 30 years and have had the same landline for over 30 years. I can be reached by email and cell phone. No one asked for that information.

I doubt I am related to the Lost Colony, but I'm excited for those who might be.

Fascinating article! I am thrilled to be in a DNA group (the Cumberland Gap Project) with Roberta Estes and many others, so I can find out about our American history and find some of my relatives in particular. The National Geographic Genographic Project asked me to donate my DNA's full genomic sequence, and I was reluctant to because I was giving away so much and was promised absolutely nothing. "An attempt" would be made to inform me as to the results of their research. No. Not good enough. I've lived in the same house for 30 years and have had the same landline for over 30 years. I can be reached by email and cell phone. No one asked for that information.

I doubt I am related to the Lost Colony, but I'm excited for those who might be.

Fascinating article! I am thrilled to be in a DNA group (the Cumberland Gap Project) with Roberta Estes and many others, so I can find out about our American history and find some of my relatives in particular. The National Geographic Genographic Project asked me to donate my DNA's full genomic sequence, and I was reluctant to because I was giving away so much and was promised absolutely nothing. "An attempt" would be made to inform me as to the results of their research. No. Not good enough. I've lived in the same house for 30 years and have had the same landline for over 30 years. I can be reached by email and cell phone. No one asked for that information.

I doubt I am related to the Lost Colony, but I'm excited for those who might be.

Also...Isn't archaeology supposed to be a philosophy of 'let's dig in the ground and see what the past tells us'... AKA let's look at the whole history of a place, rather than going to look for one thing... The illustrious Lost Colony.

"Estesâ€™s group is commencing a new archaeological dig this year to look for Lost Colony artifacts." (quoted from above).

In looking for a single infamous thing in your pursuit...Â are you notÂ essentially equating yourself with nothing more than 'treasure hunting'?Â

"Ewen says there are some historical examples of settlers assimilating into native groups, but none in which an entire colony was adopted. â€œI wonâ€™t rule it out, but the whole group forming new tribal identities? I donâ€™t buy it.â€쳌'

I would think that getting the DNA from bones of the Colonist's that died after they landed and started the settlement would help on the new DNA test of the Native Americans , and we all know from our history books that the Native Americans did help some of the settlers. And one of the first things that settlers did when starting a new place to live was to make a grave yard. As it was harsh and a lot would die so in that place there has to be a grave yard somewere with bones of the first settlers.

Through Henry Berry Lowrie's grandmother Priscilla Berry my descent from Lost Colony member Henry Berry is noted. My DNA has been done and communication with Lost Colony group established. Last word I had was that English connection had notÂ been made through reluctance of the English.

I know how hard it is to match DNA. My oldest verified ancestor was born about 1737Â and it is possible in this country. The first record of him was when he married in 1763. He was listed as an orphan. DNA was taken and posted to a website. As of yet out of the hundreds of thousands of other DNA posted there. NO MATCH. Of course we can't trace him in any of the overseas countries because the name he took was one given to him as that orphan. What can we do. Reminds me of the "Lost Colony".

Also...Isn't archaeology supposed to be a philosophy of 'let's dig in the ground and see what the past tells us'... AKA let's look at the whole history of a place, rather than going to look for one thing... The illustrious Lost Colony.

"Estesâ€™s group is commencing a new archaeological dig this year to look for Lost Colony artifacts." (quoted from above).

In looking for a single infamous thing in your pursuit...Â are you notÂ essentially equating yourself with nothing more than 'treasure hunting'?Â

Would you tell me more about the Cumberland Gap Project.Â I have line with Trenton-Ruckman who married in MD then came to WV.Â My Family Finder results seem to be connected to that location and to New Jersey by surnames. Blue, Wainright, Tucker.

Don, Roberta Estes is the administrator of the Cumberland Gap Project. She is one of the researchers or the chief researcher of the Lost Colony project and mentioned in the article above.

I joined the Cumberland Gap Project through National Geographic's Genographic Project. You have to pay to have your DNA tested. They send you a kit in the mail after you pay so you can lightly scrape the inside of your cheek (scraper provided in the kit), then swab the inside of your cheek and drop the swab in a little test tube and put the top on.

Careful instructions and everything you need are provided. Six to eight weeks later, you get your DNA results.Â

Then you can choose a project to join. I wish you could join multiple projects at a time, but you can't. I've found out a lot about my family and my origins through this process. It was so much fun I paid to have my husband and my father tested. I'll find you the link and publish it in another comment here.

I don't recommend 23andme for DNA testing because I've been told that they've raised their prices and if you don't pay a monthly fee, you lose all access to your DNA type, migration of your deep ancestry, and DNA relatives. National Geographic is a one-time fee and there's no monthly fee to keep getting information.

Would you tell me more about the Cumberland Gap Project.Â I have line with Trenton-Ruckman who married in MD then came to WV.Â My Family Finder results seem to be connected to that location and to New Jersey by surnames. Blue, Wainright, Tucker.

Don, Roberta Estes is the administrator of the Cumberland Gap Project. She is one of the researchers or the chief researcher of the Lost Colony project and mentioned in the article above.

I joined the Cumberland Gap Project through National Geographic's Genographic Project. You have to pay to have your DNA tested. They send you a kit in the mail after you pay so you can lightly scrape the inside of your cheek (scraper provided in the kit), then swab the inside of your cheek and drop the swab in a little test tube and put the top on.

Careful instructions and everything you need are provided. Six to eight weeks later, you get your DNA results.Â

Then you can choose a project to join. I wish you could join multiple projects at a time, but you can't. I've found out a lot about my family and my origins through this process. It was so much fun I paid to have my husband and my father tested. I'll find you the link and publish it in another comment here.

I don't recommend 23andme for DNA testing because I've been told that they've raised their prices and if you don't pay a monthly fee, you lose all access to your DNA type, migration of your deep ancestry, and DNA relatives. National Geographic is a one-time fee and there's no monthly fee to keep getting information.

So are you saying you have a match to a colonist surname in England for comparison?Â Because in reading the article, I was under the impression that you did not.Â In addition, I google-searched the LCRG and went to their website, and their websiteÂ clearly states they do not yet have a match in England to a colonist surname... so... all theory.

yes there are laws that protect that but there are laws that will alow it also if done in the right manner. And Archaeological diging of graves has been done for years. If all diggins are done in the proper way I see nothing wronge with it . A lot of digs were done with out getting the right permission. This is not like they would be digging up and stelling from the grave.

Archaeologists have gave great insite to our past as well as showed how our people lived in the past and most was done by digging up citys , Tumbs and graves so I belive they know how to do a DNA testing on a grave and still respect the grave at the same time.

This comment may or may not beÂ pertinent. Â In the summer of 1955 or 1956 my wife & I were chaperons for a Church youth group from Dayton, Ohio. Â We went to Morris Fork, Breathitt County, KY and worked for two weeks building the foundation of a new Church Sunday School building. Â This was a beautiful but very isolated area of East central KY with no roads to the Presbyterian Church Mission (we drove up the dry creek bed), no electricity & they had just gotten their first phone. Â As we met the residents of this area we were surprised that they appeared to speak with an English accent. almost everyone had double first names such as John Henry, Henry Martin, Mary Beth, etc., and they still used shape note hymn books. Â While we were there I thought that perhaps these isolated people were remnants of the lost colony. Â Could this be a possibility ???

Â I agree with Mr. Smith; and it seems to me that Ewen'sÂ premiseÂ might hold water if it were only a case of subsuming the group into the "tribe" rather than a pure case of survive or die, in addition to this; the native tribes were well known for kidnapping, you may call that a form of adopting if you like.Â Â There is the age old question that comes naturally in a small tribal group, the need for new genes.Â Fresh meat for the gene stew, er..pool....seems to me that the case for the missing colonists might be covered somewhere in this soup...Â

For information on your Y-DNA side (if you're a man), it's only $99. For information on your mtDNA side (if you're a woman), it's also $99. Family Finder, which finds your relatives, close and immediate, distant relatives, and speculative relatives on BOTH sides of your family, maternal and paternal, is more expensive, but worth it.

Don't use 23andme to test unless you want a monthly bill to keep getting access to your DNA information. National Geographic is a one-time fee and it's the gift that keeps giving without a monthly fee.

I was under the impression this testing had already begun a few years back - no? Also, I wonder what came of the testing of folks that were at a conference a few years ago that had the same surnames as some of those of The Lost Colony.Â I have a couple of those surnames in my genealogy.Â My father's famliy lived in the Pamlico/Craven County areas for centuries.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.Â Found the name of the conference - The Lost Colony Symposium on DNA and Research, held in September of 2007, in Williamston, NC.Â I just thought with them already having DNA on file from that time, since it doesn't change, the markers would have been helpful for this study.Â And for all I know they may just be using it along with DNA from folks not previously tested.Â Would love to know if those previous tests yielded any helpful information at all.Â I am fascinated by The Lost Colony!

I think that the DNA testing is a great way and for us who do family history and it helps to find other family lines we didnt know we had . I would have to agree with some of the others , I think that the people of the Lost Colony may have joined tribes in order to surive.

And not unlike a lot of the men who setteled our country I would say they took wifes of the tribes and had chrildren. The DNA testing would in fact show the blood line of familys. I find it very exciting to know that with the DNA testing it opens new information as well and the doors to know just were the Lost Colony really went.

So are you saying you have a match to a colonist surname in England for comparison?Â Because in reading the article, I was under the impression that you did not.Â In addition, I google-searched the LCRG and went to their website, and their websiteÂ clearly states they do not yet have a match in England to a colonist surname... so... all theory.

yes there are laws that protect that but there are laws that will alow it also if done in the right manner. And Archaeological diging of graves has been done for years. If all diggins are done in the proper way I see nothing wronge with it . A lot of digs were done with out getting the right permission. This is not like they would be digging up and stelling from the grave.

Archaeologists have gave great insite to our past as well as showed how our people lived in the past and most was done by digging up citys , Tumbs and graves so I belive they know how to do a DNA testing on a grave and still respect the grave at the same time.

This comment may or may not beÂ pertinent. Â In the summer of 1955 or 1956 my wife & I were chaperons for a Church youth group from Dayton, Ohio. Â We went to Morris Fork, Breathitt County, KY and worked for two weeks building the foundation of a new Church Sunday School building. Â This was a beautiful but very isolated area of East central KY with no roads to the Presbyterian Church Mission (we drove up the dry creek bed), no electricity & they had just gotten their first phone. Â As we met the residents of this area we were surprised that they appeared to speak with an English accent. almost everyone had double first names such as John Henry, Henry Martin, Mary Beth, etc., and they still used shape note hymn books. Â While we were there I thought that perhaps these isolated people were remnants of the lost colony. Â Could this be a possibility ???

Â I agree with Mr. Smith; and it seems to me that Ewen'sÂ premiseÂ might hold water if it were only a case of subsuming the group into the "tribe" rather than a pure case of survive or die, in addition to this; the native tribes were well known for kidnapping, you may call that a form of adopting if you like.Â Â There is the age old question that comes naturally in a small tribal group, the need for new genes.Â Fresh meat for the gene stew, er..pool....seems to me that the case for the missing colonists might be covered somewhere in this soup...Â

For information on your Y-DNA side (if you're a man), it's only $99. For information on your mtDNA side (if you're a woman), it's also $99. Family Finder, which finds your relatives, close and immediate, distant relatives, and speculative relatives on BOTH sides of your family, maternal and paternal, is more expensive, but worth it.

Don't use 23andme to test unless you want a monthly bill to keep getting access to your DNA information. National Geographic is a one-time fee and it's the gift that keeps giving without a monthly fee.

I was under the impression this testing had already begun a few years back - no? Also, I wonder what came of the testing of folks that were at a conference a few years ago that had the same surnames as some of those of The Lost Colony.Â I have a couple of those surnames in my genealogy.Â My father's famliy lived in the Pamlico/Craven County areas for centuries.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.Â Found the name of the conference - The Lost Colony Symposium on DNA and Research, held in September of 2007, in Williamston, NC.Â I just thought with them already having DNA on file from that time, since it doesn't change, the markers would have been helpful for this study.Â And for all I know they may just be using it along with DNA from folks not previously tested.Â Would love to know if those previous tests yielded any helpful information at all.Â I am fascinated by The Lost Colony!

I think that the DNA testing is a great way and for us who do family history and it helps to find other family lines we didnt know we had . I would have to agree with some of the others , I think that the people of the Lost Colony may have joined tribes in order to surive.

And not unlike a lot of the men who setteled our country I would say they took wifes of the tribes and had chrildren. The DNA testing would in fact show the blood line of familys. I find it very exciting to know that with the DNA testing it opens new information as well and the doors to know just were the Lost Colony really went.

So are you saying you have a match to a colonist surname in England for comparison?Â Because in reading the article, I was under the impression that you did not.Â In addition, I google-searched the LCRG and went to their website, and their websiteÂ clearly states they do not yet have a match in England to a colonist surname... so... all theory.

yes there are laws that protect that but there are laws that will alow it also if done in the right manner. And Archaeological diging of graves has been done for years. If all diggins are done in the proper way I see nothing wronge with it . A lot of digs were done with out getting the right permission. This is not like they would be digging up and stelling from the grave.

Archaeologists have gave great insite to our past as well as showed how our people lived in the past and most was done by digging up citys , Tumbs and graves so I belive they know how to do a DNA testing on a grave and still respect the grave at the same time.

This comment may or may not beÂ pertinent. Â In the summer of 1955 or 1956 my wife & I were chaperons for a Church youth group from Dayton, Ohio. Â We went to Morris Fork, Breathitt County, KY and worked for two weeks building the foundation of a new Church Sunday School building. Â This was a beautiful but very isolated area of East central KY with no roads to the Presbyterian Church Mission (we drove up the dry creek bed), no electricity & they had just gotten their first phone. Â As we met the residents of this area we were surprised that they appeared to speak with an English accent. almost everyone had double first names such as John Henry, Henry Martin, Mary Beth, etc., and they still used shape note hymn books. Â While we were there I thought that perhaps these isolated people were remnants of the lost colony. Â Could this be a possibility ???

Â I agree with Mr. Smith; and it seems to me that Ewen'sÂ premiseÂ might hold water if it were only a case of subsuming the group into the "tribe" rather than a pure case of survive or die, in addition to this; the native tribes were well known for kidnapping, you may call that a form of adopting if you like.Â Â There is the age old question that comes naturally in a small tribal group, the need for new genes.Â Fresh meat for the gene stew, er..pool....seems to me that the case for the missing colonists might be covered somewhere in this soup...Â

For information on your Y-DNA side (if you're a man), it's only $99. For information on your mtDNA side (if you're a woman), it's also $99. Family Finder, which finds your relatives, close and immediate, distant relatives, and speculative relatives on BOTH sides of your family, maternal and paternal, is more expensive, but worth it.

Don't use 23andme to test unless you want a monthly bill to keep getting access to your DNA information. National Geographic is a one-time fee and it's the gift that keeps giving without a monthly fee.

I was under the impression this testing had already begun a few years back - no? Also, I wonder what came of the testing of folks that were at a conference a few years ago that had the same surnames as some of those of The Lost Colony.Â I have a couple of those surnames in my genealogy.Â My father's famliy lived in the Pamlico/Craven County areas for centuries.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.Â Found the name of the conference - The Lost Colony Symposium on DNA and Research, held in September of 2007, in Williamston, NC.Â I just thought with them already having DNA on file from that time, since it doesn't change, the markers would have been helpful for this study.Â And for all I know they may just be using it along with DNA from folks not previously tested.Â Would love to know if those previous tests yielded any helpful information at all.Â I am fascinated by The Lost Colony!

I think that the DNA testing is a great way and for us who do family history and it helps to find other family lines we didnt know we had . I would have to agree with some of the others , I think that the people of the Lost Colony may have joined tribes in order to surive.

And not unlike a lot of the men who setteled our country I would say they took wifes of the tribes and had chrildren. The DNA testing would in fact show the blood line of familys. I find it very exciting to know that with the DNA testing it opens new information as well and the doors to know just were the Lost Colony really went.

Also...Isn't archaeology supposed to be a philosophy of 'let's dig in the ground and see what the past tells us'... AKA let's look at the whole history of a place, rather than going to look for one thing... The illustrious Lost Colony.

"Estesâ€™s group is commencing a new archaeological dig this year to look for Lost Colony artifacts." (quoted from above).

In looking for a single infamous thing in your pursuit...Â are you notÂ essentially equating yourself with nothing more than 'treasure hunting'?Â

"Ewen says there are some historical examples of settlers assimilating into native groups, but none in which an entire colony was adopted. â€œI wonâ€™t rule it out, but the whole group forming new tribal identities? I donâ€™t buy it.â€쳌'

I would think that getting the DNA from bones of the Colonist's that died after they landed and started the settlement would help on the new DNA test of the Native Americans , and we all know from our history books that the Native Americans did help some of the settlers. And one of the first things that settlers did when starting a new place to live was to make a grave yard. As it was harsh and a lot would die so in that place there has to be a grave yard somewere with bones of the first settlers.

Through Henry Berry Lowrie's grandmother Priscilla Berry my descent from Lost Colony member Henry Berry is noted. My DNA has been done and communication with Lost Colony group established. Last word I had was that English connection had notÂ been made through reluctance of the English.

I know how hard it is to match DNA. My oldest verified ancestor was born about 1737Â and it is possible in this country. The first record of him was when he married in 1763. He was listed as an orphan. DNA was taken and posted to a website. As of yet out of the hundreds of thousands of other DNA posted there. NO MATCH. Of course we can't trace him in any of the overseas countries because the name he took was one given to him as that orphan. What can we do. Reminds me of the "Lost Colony".

Would you tell me more about the Cumberland Gap Project.Â I have line with Trenton-Ruckman who married in MD then came to WV.Â My Family Finder results seem to be connected to that location and to New Jersey by surnames. Blue, Wainright, Tucker.

Don, Roberta Estes is the administrator of the Cumberland Gap Project. She is one of the researchers or the chief researcher of the Lost Colony project and mentioned in the article above.

I joined the Cumberland Gap Project through National Geographic's Genographic Project. You have to pay to have your DNA tested. They send you a kit in the mail after you pay so you can lightly scrape the inside of your cheek (scraper provided in the kit), then swab the inside of your cheek and drop the swab in a little test tube and put the top on.

Careful instructions and everything you need are provided. Six to eight weeks later, you get your DNA results.Â

Then you can choose a project to join. I wish you could join multiple projects at a time, but you can't. I've found out a lot about my family and my origins through this process. It was so much fun I paid to have my husband and my father tested. I'll find you the link and publish it in another comment here.

I don't recommend 23andme for DNA testing because I've been told that they've raised their prices and if you don't pay a monthly fee, you lose all access to your DNA type, migration of your deep ancestry, and DNA relatives. National Geographic is a one-time fee and there's no monthly fee to keep getting information.

"Ewen says there are some historical examples of settlers assimilating into native groups, but none in which an entire colony was adopted. â€œI wonâ€™t rule it out, but the whole group forming new tribal identities? I donâ€™t buy it.â€쳌'

I would think that getting the DNA from bones of the Colonist's that died after they landed and started the settlement would help on the new DNA test of the Native Americans , and we all know from our history books that the Native Americans did help some of the settlers. And one of the first things that settlers did when starting a new place to live was to make a grave yard. As it was harsh and a lot would die so in that place there has to be a grave yard somewere with bones of the first settlers.

Through Henry Berry Lowrie's grandmother Priscilla Berry my descent from Lost Colony member Henry Berry is noted. My DNA has been done and communication with Lost Colony group established. Last word I had was that English connection had notÂ been made through reluctance of the English.

I know how hard it is to match DNA. My oldest verified ancestor was born about 1737Â and it is possible in this country. The first record of him was when he married in 1763. He was listed as an orphan. DNA was taken and posted to a website. As of yet out of the hundreds of thousands of other DNA posted there. NO MATCH. Of course we can't trace him in any of the overseas countries because the name he took was one given to him as that orphan. What can we do. Reminds me of the "Lost Colony".

I do not find it difficultÂ to believe,Â what was left of the colonist, would have joined any tribe that did not kill them first. We already know of the struggles early pioneers made, and the difficulties of surviving in these foreign surroundings.

Consider, White took over two years to return. The reason he left, conditions too harsh, not enough supplies. Who stayed, who left? Most likely they all wanted to go back home. Probably the strongest, best fit, sailed back. In order to get back faster. That leaves the colony with the "weak", then thought to be women, children, and elders. Year one, would see losses from illness, hunger, death from small common infections. This makes for a smaller group to defend itself. Women and children would have had the best chance of survival in a compassionate indian raid.Â And, I would think any chance of holding out for White to return, long forgotten. Perhaps, the thought, he may haveÂ parrished at sea?

It would take little to win the hearts for survival. The young would assimilate quickly and win favor with tribe elders. Any form of weapons would have been exhausted for hunting long before. I think the better part of surving European DNA would be along the mitochondrialÂ line.

Having said this, there are other reasons that the good people of that area would have been found to have European influences and names.Â It became obvious to some native people that theyÂ should do what was nessersary to become future citizen's of the new country.Â And will not even go into how issolated groups of people maintain "the old way of doing things", as I have driven threw a few place's, where I thought I had to have gone through a time machine!

Sorenson should accept DNA with anyone who's family tree dates them to the early settler's, within fifty miles. Going back in the research using tree's and DNA, you may be able to learn "when" either European, or Native American, was introduced.Â I await research findings!

I do not find it difficultÂ to believe,Â what was left of the colonist, would have joined any tribe that did not kill them first. We already know of the struggles early pioneers made, and the difficulties of surviving in these foreign surroundings.

Consider, White took over two years to return. The reason he left, conditions too harsh, not enough supplies. Who stayed, who left? Most likely they all wanted to go back home. Probably the strongest, best fit, sailed back. In order to get back faster. That leaves the colony with the "weak", then thought to be women, children, and elders. Year one, would see losses from illness, hunger, death from small common infections. This makes for a smaller group to defend itself. Women and children would have had the best chance of survival in a compassionate indian raid.Â And, I would think any chance of holding out for White to return, long forgotten. Perhaps, the thought, he may haveÂ parrished at sea?

It would take little to win the hearts for survival. The young would assimilate quickly and win favor with tribe elders. Any form of weapons would have been exhausted for hunting long before. I think the better part of surving European DNA would be along the mitochondrialÂ line.

Having said this, there are other reasons that the good people of that area would have been found to have European influences and names.Â It became obvious to some native people that theyÂ should do what was nessersary to become future citizen's of the new country.Â And will not even go into how issolated groups of people maintain "the old way of doing things", as I have driven threw a few place's, where I thought I had to have gone through a time machine!

Sorenson should accept DNA with anyone who's family tree dates them to the early settler's, within fifty miles. Going back in the research using tree's and DNA, you may be able to learn "when" either European, or Native American, was introduced.Â I await research findings!

I do not find it difficultÂ to believe,Â what was left of the colonist, would have joined any tribe that did not kill them first. We already know of the struggles early pioneers made, and the difficulties of surviving in these foreign surroundings.

Consider, White took over two years to return. The reason he left, conditions too harsh, not enough supplies. Who stayed, who left? Most likely they all wanted to go back home. Probably the strongest, best fit, sailed back. In order to get back faster. That leaves the colony with the "weak", then thought to be women, children, and elders. Year one, would see losses from illness, hunger, death from small common infections. This makes for a smaller group to defend itself. Women and children would have had the best chance of survival in a compassionate indian raid.Â And, I would think any chance of holding out for White to return, long forgotten. Perhaps, the thought, he may haveÂ parrished at sea?

It would take little to win the hearts for survival. The young would assimilate quickly and win favor with tribe elders. Any form of weapons would have been exhausted for hunting long before. I think the better part of surving European DNA would be along the mitochondrialÂ line.

Having said this, there are other reasons that the good people of that area would have been found to have European influences and names.Â It became obvious to some native people that theyÂ should do what was nessersary to become future citizen's of the new country.Â And will not even go into how issolated groups of people maintain "the old way of doing things", as I have driven threw a few place's, where I thought I had to have gone through a time machine!

Sorenson should accept DNA with anyone who's family tree dates them to the early settler's, within fifty miles. Going back in the research using tree's and DNA, you may be able to learn "when" either European, or Native American, was introduced.Â I await research findings!

Margaret; What is your ancestors surname? Â I am an Admin for a clan/surname research study within FTDNA- That is Family Tree DNA. I shall have a look for you. Please advise as to the Kit Number, and also the surnames concerned whose groups that you have joined.Also-Did you upload the results to ySearch? You really must do that.

There should be some y12 results at least. When did your relative send the Kit back? Â The reason I ask is that sometimes it takes quite a while for ALL of the results to return from the lab, and they come back in 'dribs and drabs' . Sometimes that means no results until ALL panels have returned. Perhaps there are panels of markers still outstanding , and that is why there is no result.

Also, your male relative needed to opt for the y67 test as that will find the most matches. Believe it or not I have found folk who are no match until y37 y67, and they are definitely related 1777 circa to MRCA = that is: Most Recent Common Ancestor.I had a look at the Lost Tribes FTDNA site and unfortunately the Admins have not organised it very well, in that the various Haplogroups are all mixed up- especially with people who cannot possibly be related because they are of a completely different Haplotype & Haplogroup. Even although the Lost Colonists were in the main not related to each other, they WERE all from different Haplogroups, and the yResults spreadsheet should group all the participants into their various Haplogroups & Haplotypes if known, in the very first instance.

Also, there is no indication whatsoever on the yResults spreadsheet of Indigenous American Heritage of any Kit Holder. These Kit Holder folk on the Results sheet may be totally unrelated to the Lost Colony members because unless there is a cohort within the results who have an indigenous background to compare back to , and this is obvious to an observer, very little is being presented as the yDNA study is not publishing results to date.Â

Those various Haplotypes need to be split up in a major way. Those matching ONLY within Haplotypes should be separated into their own colorised groupingsso that researchers and observers can gain better insight into the study results to date. Unfortunately Surname Admins need reasonable database & IT skills in order to get the best out of their various research projects. Matches need to be carefully analysed and Kit holders matching grouped TOGETHER in identifiable formats within the results pages. This can be achieved by ALL admins within their GAP Admin Page.Â

As far as I can see to date , this has NOT occurred within the Lost Colony Research Project.

Margaret; What is your ancestors surname? Â I am an Admin for a clan/surname research study within FTDNA- That is Family Tree DNA. I shall have a look for you. Please advise as to the Kit Number, and also the surnames concerned whose groups that you have joined.Also-Did you upload the results to ySearch? You really must do that.

There should be some y12 results at least. When did your relative send the Kit back? Â The reason I ask is that sometimes it takes quite a while for ALL of the results to return from the lab, and they come back in 'dribs and drabs' . Sometimes that means no results until ALL panels have returned. Perhaps there are panels of markers still outstanding , and that is why there is no result.

Also, your male relative needed to opt for the y67 test as that will find the most matches. Believe it or not I have found folk who are no match until y37 y67, and they are definitely related 1777 circa to MRCA = that is: Most Recent Common Ancestor.I had a look at the Lost Tribes FTDNA site and unfortunately the Admins have not organised it very well, in that the various Haplogroups are all mixed up- especially with people who cannot possibly be related because they are of a completely different Haplotype & Haplogroup. Even although the Lost Colonists were in the main not related to each other, they WERE all from different Haplogroups, and the yResults spreadsheet should group all the participants into their various Haplogroups & Haplotypes if known, in the very first instance.

Also, there is no indication whatsoever on the yResults spreadsheet of Indigenous American Heritage of any Kit Holder. These Kit Holder folk on the Results sheet may be totally unrelated to the Lost Colony members because unless there is a cohort within the results who have an indigenous background to compare back to , and this is obvious to an observer, very little is being presented as the yDNA study is not publishing results to date.Â

Those various Haplotypes need to be split up in a major way. Those matching ONLY within Haplotypes should be separated into their own colorised groupingsso that researchers and observers can gain better insight into the study results to date. Unfortunately Surname Admins need reasonable database & IT skills in order to get the best out of their various research projects. Matches need to be carefully analysed and Kit holders matching grouped TOGETHER in identifiable formats within the results pages. This can be achieved by ALL admins within their GAP Admin Page.Â

As far as I can see to date , this has NOT occurred within the Lost Colony Research Project.

Margaret; What is your ancestors surname? Â I am an Admin for a clan/surname research study within FTDNA- That is Family Tree DNA. I shall have a look for you. Please advise as to the Kit Number, and also the surnames concerned whose groups that you have joined.Also-Did you upload the results to ySearch? You really must do that.

There should be some y12 results at least. When did your relative send the Kit back? Â The reason I ask is that sometimes it takes quite a while for ALL of the results to return from the lab, and they come back in 'dribs and drabs' . Sometimes that means no results until ALL panels have returned. Perhaps there are panels of markers still outstanding , and that is why there is no result.

Also, your male relative needed to opt for the y67 test as that will find the most matches. Believe it or not I have found folk who are no match until y37 y67, and they are definitely related 1777 circa to MRCA = that is: Most Recent Common Ancestor.I had a look at the Lost Tribes FTDNA site and unfortunately the Admins have not organised it very well, in that the various Haplogroups are all mixed up- especially with people who cannot possibly be related because they are of a completely different Haplotype & Haplogroup. Even although the Lost Colonists were in the main not related to each other, they WERE all from different Haplogroups, and the yResults spreadsheet should group all the participants into their various Haplogroups & Haplotypes if known, in the very first instance.

Also, there is no indication whatsoever on the yResults spreadsheet of Indigenous American Heritage of any Kit Holder. These Kit Holder folk on the Results sheet may be totally unrelated to the Lost Colony members because unless there is a cohort within the results who have an indigenous background to compare back to , and this is obvious to an observer, very little is being presented as the yDNA study is not publishing results to date.Â

Those various Haplotypes need to be split up in a major way. Those matching ONLY within Haplotypes should be separated into their own colorised groupingsso that researchers and observers can gain better insight into the study results to date. Unfortunately Surname Admins need reasonable database & IT skills in order to get the best out of their various research projects. Matches need to be carefully analysed and Kit holders matching grouped TOGETHER in identifiable formats within the results pages. This can be achieved by ALL admins within their GAP Admin Page.Â

As far as I can see to date , this has NOT occurred within the Lost Colony Research Project.

Great idea! We should always seek to know our true history, whether it is good or bad. The wishful thinking about, or deliberate propagandizing of, European colonizationÂ for the purpose of nationalistic fervor to make "good Germans" of all of us is unscientific, to put it mildly.Here's some history thatÂ involved serial abuse and murder ofÂ indigenous human children forcibly taken from their parents.Â http://www.hiddenfromhistory.o...Â There is a free documentary film on the site. The monsters in Canada that perpetrated this abuse (and still have covert sex rings involving native children) HAVE left DNA tracks. All native children and adultsÂ in Canada should have their DNA studied to find out which European families were (and ARE) involved in using children as sex toys.

THEN these "illustrious" familes from the upper levels of the Canadian government and religious hierarchyÂ should be made to pay through prison for any living perpetrators Â and reparations from the estates of the descendents of the dead ones.

But maybe aÂ safe and non-controvertialÂ scientificÂ data search for Lost Colony of Roanoke genetic remnants is all our "brave" scientific community is up to.Â

There always seems to be grant money for scientific research on European history here but never to investigate attrocities, child abuse, and buried children on Canadian religious schools. Could the fact that people of European descent were, with full support, backing and approval of the Canadian government and religious hierarchy practicing slow genocide through biological warfare (forcing children to play and sleep with TB infected children) and, TO THIS DAY, using native children for sex rings be the REASON that there is no grant money and "no interest" in investigating so "boring" and "irrelevant" issues like these?

Or are we just afraid to admit that our attitude towards the natives of North America has always been to deal with them in such a way as to reduce their numbers and destroy their culture? How "SCIENTIFIC" and "OBJECTIVE" is that attitude? And as to being "Darwinian", I question that. The native cultures achieved a sustainable lifestyle and our European lifestyle never has. Having the most powerful weapon does not guarantee or even define Darwinian survival unless you are a Wall Street idiot. Equating our ability to kill anything that moves with survival of the fittest while tossing out ecological balance and the absolute requirement for intra and inter species cooperation for sustainability is the mark of an infantilized mindset.

It's time for scientists to start doing science regardless of whether it steps on political and religious toes or not. Scientists are supposed to be independent; not paid lackeys for the system! Where is your vaunted desire to seek truth wherever it leads you?

Great idea! We should always seek to know our true history, whether it is good or bad. The wishful thinking about, or deliberate propagandizing of, European colonizationÂ for the purpose of nationalistic fervor to make "good Germans" of all of us is unscientific, to put it mildly.Here's some history thatÂ involved serial abuse and murder ofÂ indigenous human children forcibly taken from their parents.Â http://www.hiddenfromhistory.o...Â There is a free documentary film on the site. The monsters in Canada that perpetrated this abuse (and still have covert sex rings involving native children) HAVE left DNA tracks. All native children and adultsÂ in Canada should have their DNA studied to find out which European families were (and ARE) involved in using children as sex toys.

THEN these "illustrious" familes from the upper levels of the Canadian government and religious hierarchyÂ should be made to pay through prison for any living perpetrators Â and reparations from the estates of the descendents of the dead ones.

But maybe aÂ safe and non-controvertialÂ scientificÂ data search for Lost Colony of Roanoke genetic remnants is all our "brave" scientific community is up to.Â

There always seems to be grant money for scientific research on European history here but never to investigate attrocities, child abuse, and buried children on Canadian religious schools. Could the fact that people of European descent were, with full support, backing and approval of the Canadian government and religious hierarchy practicing slow genocide through biological warfare (forcing children to play and sleep with TB infected children) and, TO THIS DAY, using native children for sex rings be the REASON that there is no grant money and "no interest" in investigating so "boring" and "irrelevant" issues like these?

Or are we just afraid to admit that our attitude towards the natives of North America has always been to deal with them in such a way as to reduce their numbers and destroy their culture? How "SCIENTIFIC" and "OBJECTIVE" is that attitude? And as to being "Darwinian", I question that. The native cultures achieved a sustainable lifestyle and our European lifestyle never has. Having the most powerful weapon does not guarantee or even define Darwinian survival unless you are a Wall Street idiot. Equating our ability to kill anything that moves with survival of the fittest while tossing out ecological balance and the absolute requirement for intra and inter species cooperation for sustainability is the mark of an infantilized mindset.

It's time for scientists to start doing science regardless of whether it steps on political and religious toes or not. Scientists are supposed to be independent; not paid lackeys for the system! Where is your vaunted desire to seek truth wherever it leads you?

Great idea! We should always seek to know our true history, whether it is good or bad. The wishful thinking about, or deliberate propagandizing of, European colonizationÂ for the purpose of nationalistic fervor to make "good Germans" of all of us is unscientific, to put it mildly.Here's some history thatÂ involved serial abuse and murder ofÂ indigenous human children forcibly taken from their parents.Â http://www.hiddenfromhistory.o...Â There is a free documentary film on the site. The monsters in Canada that perpetrated this abuse (and still have covert sex rings involving native children) HAVE left DNA tracks. All native children and adultsÂ in Canada should have their DNA studied to find out which European families were (and ARE) involved in using children as sex toys.

THEN these "illustrious" familes from the upper levels of the Canadian government and religious hierarchyÂ should be made to pay through prison for any living perpetrators Â and reparations from the estates of the descendents of the dead ones.

But maybe aÂ safe and non-controvertialÂ scientificÂ data search for Lost Colony of Roanoke genetic remnants is all our "brave" scientific community is up to.Â

There always seems to be grant money for scientific research on European history here but never to investigate attrocities, child abuse, and buried children on Canadian religious schools. Could the fact that people of European descent were, with full support, backing and approval of the Canadian government and religious hierarchy practicing slow genocide through biological warfare (forcing children to play and sleep with TB infected children) and, TO THIS DAY, using native children for sex rings be the REASON that there is no grant money and "no interest" in investigating so "boring" and "irrelevant" issues like these?

Or are we just afraid to admit that our attitude towards the natives of North America has always been to deal with them in such a way as to reduce their numbers and destroy their culture? How "SCIENTIFIC" and "OBJECTIVE" is that attitude? And as to being "Darwinian", I question that. The native cultures achieved a sustainable lifestyle and our European lifestyle never has. Having the most powerful weapon does not guarantee or even define Darwinian survival unless you are a Wall Street idiot. Equating our ability to kill anything that moves with survival of the fittest while tossing out ecological balance and the absolute requirement for intra and inter species cooperation for sustainability is the mark of an infantilized mindset.

It's time for scientists to start doing science regardless of whether it steps on political and religious toes or not. Scientists are supposed to be independent; not paid lackeys for the system! Where is your vaunted desire to seek truth wherever it leads you?

One way to look at this project is that they're using the tools of archeology to answer a specific question. I suppose that treasure hunting can be viewed as a dishonorable pursuit if the treasure consists of physical objects like gold or precious stones. However, when the "treasure" consists of knowledge and insight that are gained through the application of scientific concepts, then I don't think this is something to that should cause any feelings of shame.

One way to look at this project is that they're using the tools of archeology to answer a specific question. I suppose that treasure hunting can be viewed as a dishonorable pursuit if the treasure consists of physical objects like gold or precious stones. However, when the "treasure" consists of knowledge and insight that are gained through the application of scientific concepts, then I don't think this is something to that should cause any feelings of shame.

One way to look at this project is that they're using the tools of archeology to answer a specific question. I suppose that treasure hunting can be viewed as a dishonorable pursuit if the treasure consists of physical objects like gold or precious stones. However, when the "treasure" consists of knowledge and insight that are gained through the application of scientific concepts, then I don't think this is something to that should cause any feelings of shame.

If they so called join with the Indians why leave everything thing behind food an. Animals Indians would have taken the animal's. To add. To t here. Own to. Eat. An. More. Thereis somethings that just don't add up but I would. Like to know what. Really happen